Nankin Township, Michigan, Former township in Wayne County, Michigan, United States
Nankin Township was a former municipality in Wayne County, Michigan, extending from Joy Road to the north through Van Born Road to the south, and from Inkster Road to the east through Hannan Road to the west. The territory is now integrated into several modern cities including Westland, Livonia, Garden City, Inkster, Wayne, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, and Redford Township.
The area was established in 1827 as Bucklin Township and renamed Nankin in 1829 after the Chinese city of Nanking. It remained until its dissolution in 1966 when it transformed into the city of Westland.
Three Native American tribes - Potawatomi, Ojibwa, and Ottawa - gathered each year at Nankin Mills on the Rouge River to decide their hunting grounds. This location served as an important meeting point for these communities.
The former township can be explored today by visiting the various modern cities that now occupy its original area. Understanding its historical boundaries helps visitors recognize traces of the old district within the current city borders.
The East Nankin post office began operations in 1857 and served the community for over a century. This modest institution was an important part of daily life for residents and represented a thread of continuity until the territory's transformation.
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